Our hearts are with the people of Newtown, Connecticut this week.

Permission Granted

I need to get so much done before the holidays! How often do you catch yourself saying that this time of year? How often do you see self care tumbling further and further down the self care list, until it finally falls off the map?

Get yourself permission to take care of yourself this holiday season. Because if we aren't honoring our own wants and needs, how can we take care of everyone elses?

I grant you permission to

• spend some time alone
• say no to certain invitations if they are leaving you stressed out and over scheduled
• let people know when boundaries have been crossed-especially with family
• to eat the food you love, and feel no remorse
• to not jump on the latest cleanse and diet trend.
• find time to move your body, meditate, go for a walk, and other ways to constructively de-stress
• to not multitask
• to feed your soul and mind 
• to take the day off

.

May you have a liberating holiday season, and take care of yourself.

If you fall, get up.

Amazing things happen when you don't give up on yourself. Please take the time to watch this very inspiring story about someone who never stopped reaching for the sky:

Thanks...Giving

Tis the Season...... For marathon shopping sprees, traveling all over the world to see family and friends, and lots and lots of food-centered cheer.

To keep centered and the focus away from the food and the stress that may come with bigger feasts, fostering a gratitude practice is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving. Giving Thanks of course!

So join me now. Whip out a piece of paper. Open up a note on your iPhone. list what you're grateful for. right here. right now

 I am grateful for.....

• A supportive family-no matter how many miles away they are
• An amazing boyfriend, who is there when I succeed, and also when i fail and tears follow
• Wonderful friends, friends whom i've known since the womb and friends i just met. Who pick up the phone, meet me for coffee, and share french fries with me.
• Food. delicious. nourishing, energizing food. 

• Boston. Love that dirty water. The people. the place. i leave. i come back. 

 

• a strong body. That moves me through my day. puts up with stress. sleeps well and endures workouts.
• the most loveable snuggly pup. and his step-sister- a sassy cat. 

 

• work i love. that i get excited about every morning about the to do list that lies in front of me.
• having a job. period.
• sparkles and good music
• netflix
• my hair
• pumpkin. everything. 
• living close to an airport. where i don;t have to drive 6 hours to get away
• WINTER! snow is coming! and with that skiing and warm fires
• seasons
• blogs, twitter facebook and instagram. so i can stay connected to you!

i recommend doing this on the regular. maybe it's every Monday night. or saturday morning. Journal it. Live it. Love it.

Have a Healthy, Happy Holiday!

PS.Here's another great post about learning to eat on Thanksgiving 

Do Not Shrink To Console Them

I was watching TV last week and heard a quote on Grey's Anatomy that I simply could not get out of my head. So I Googled it, and I found a blog that turned the script into general words of wisdom, and once agian, I'm hooked:

Breathe. You’re skulking.

People of our generation are graceless. It’s an affront to nature. Mediocre people will see you and feel themselves wilting in your shadow. Do not shrink to console them...

...If you’re lucky, one day, when you’re old and shriveled, you’ll find a young protégé with little regard for anything but their craft, and you’ll influence them, like you were influenced. 

Until then, read a good book.

You are meant to be extraordinary. Imagine the disappointment of waking up one day and finding that you’re only ordinary. You have greatness in you. Don’t disappoint.

That line. "Do not shrink to console them." It reminds me that we should never hold ourselves back out of fear. We should always give ourselves credit where credit is deserved. We should not worry so much about what other people think but rather focus on what we truly want and spend time on that. In life, edit-out the toxic and write-in the good.

A Guiltless Watch: Illusionists

I can't wait for the movie the Illusionists to be finished and just couldn't wait til it was actually released to share it with you! I've been following them on twitter (Great body-positive content) and love the entire concept!

The Illusionists is a documentary about the body as the “finest consumer object” and the pursuit of ideal beauty around the world. The preoccupation over physical beauty is as old as time; what is different today is the central role that the pursuit of the perfect body has taken: it has become our new religion. A beautiful body is seen today as key for personal and also, more importantly, economic success for both women and men. The fast-paced culture brought on by globalization and the new economy has created a new paradigm of self-making: individuals are increasingly pushed to re-invent themselves. The key anxiety of the 21st century is the fear of disposability. The beauty industry is constantly expanding and has now found two new targets: little girls and men. A revolution is under way in the perception that these two groups have of themselves. The Illusionists will explore these themes through the testimonies of sociologists, historians, advertising executives, magazine editors, scientists, and authors in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

 

The movie not yet released but check out their blog and pinterest today!

Mutual Weirdness

Let Your Dinner Be A Poem

‎

"Enchant, stay beautiful and graceful, but do this, eat well. Bring the same consideration to the preparation of your food as you devote to your appearance. Let your dinner be a poem, like your dress."

Charles Pierre Monselet, French author (1825-1888)

via Taste of the Runway. Fashion inspired by food?

Let both your food and your fasion be a poem, a reflection of you. Eat well.

25 Ways To Love The Body You're In

October is a beautiful time of year, and it also happens to be "Love Your Body Month." Sponsored by the National Organization for Women [NOW], Love Your Body is a campaign that celebrates women of all sizes, body types and shapes and promotes tolerance, diversity and acceptance for all bodies.The campaign also works against our society’s unattainable beauty standards which we all know too well.

While we hope to inspire you to love your body all year round, here are 25 ways to celebrate "Love Your Body Month."

1. Your body is a temple. Fuel it. Use it. Let it rest and breath.

2. Carve out some time for regular check ins with yourself. The more you listen to your body, the easier it will be to respect it.

3. Go outside and run until you feel good.

4. Get down with your bad self. What I mean is, go have fun!

5. Instead of obsessing in the mirror, write a list of all the things you love about yourself.

6. Allow yourself to see the beauty in the world. Then take that and turn it inward.

7. Smile as soon as you wake up every day and thank your body for the good night's sleep.

8. Smile when you go to bed at night and thank your body for carrying you throughout the day.

9. Give yourself credit for your accomplishments even if it's just a self-pat on the back.

10. Don't "should" all over yourself.

11. Ban all fat-talk with your friends. Only body-positive statements are allowed!

12. Spoil yourself with a spa treatment. Or even better, turn your own home into a spa for a day.

13. Think about the extraordinary things your body does. All you have to do is pick up a physiology book and you'll be blown away about all the things our bodies do to keep us alive.

14. Put on your favorite playlist and dance like no one's watching even if they are.

15. Say no to things you don't want to do. Sounds easy, but you'll quickly realize how often we say yes to things out of obligation rather than out of the desire to do it.

16. Do things a little slower.

17. Hang a sign on your mirror that says, "You Are Beautiful".....and believe it.

18. You already see the good in other people. Now turn that ability inward.

19. Make a list of the top 10 things you are good at and put it somewhere you'll be able to see it on a daily basis.

20. Don't allow yourself to obsess over the body images in magazine photos and television commercials.

21. Learn to appreciate and accept all body types.

22. "If you think time will change your ways, don't wait too long" - Billie Holiday

23. Be kind and generous to yourself and to others.

24. Surround yourself with people who love you and be rid of any negative energy in your life.

25. Eat when you are hungry. Exercise when you have energy. Rest when you feel tired.

In Guiltless News...

Hello October! Leaves are changing colors in New England, we're pulling out sweater, packing up summer dresses, and getting ready for a change of seasons. While we're busy tidying up some odds and ends, check out these guiltless news topics! 

• Be Kind. Let's face it-there are mean girls out there. The KIND campaign is a call to action and documentary to bring awareness and healing to the negative and lasting effects of girl-against-girl “crime.” Watch the video:

Lady Gaga...Fat???? The queen of pop herself responds to recent headlines that she is "Fat" and "ugly" with kickstarting Body Revolution on her fan page for all her little monster. Keep your chin up Gaga. If she can do it, with a history of eating disorders, and cameras ever turned to her well-known face, it will hopefully serve as further inspiration for all of us, that we are beautiful, despite what the media portrays as being the one true beauty
• Share the Love! Nominate a positive body image blog you love for Nourishing the Soul award!
• You're beautiful without makeup: Join Miss Representation on Twitter by posting photos celebrating your beauty without makeup! Use #FreshFace to tag!
• Mark your Calenders! Take a 3 day challenge and voice your opinion on Oct 11, 12 and 13th. Let your voice be heard that you are Proud 2 B Me!

Have a great long weekend!

Just Because It Will Cheer You Up...

Weight Stigma

Today marks the start of BEDA's Weight Stigma Awareness Week. A very important week for us at Guiltless!

What is Weight Stigma?
Weight stigma as a form of bullying, based on a person's size or weight. It encompasses a wide range of behaviors where a a person’s character, work ethics, and personality is judged based on weight. It can happen at home, on the playground, in the workplace or in a doctors office. Here are a few staggering stats: 1 of 3 overweight girls and 1 of 4 overweight boys report being teased by
their peers at school. 43% of overweight people report weight stigma by employers or supervisors. 69% of overweight people report being stigmatized by doctors and 52% reported doctors stigmatizing them on more than 1 occasion. So much for this free country eh?

Change Starts with You!
You have to heal yourself first, reclaiming a positive relationship with your body, and then spreading this positive self-love to those around you-friends, family and strangers. You need to be the first one to start using positive body talk. Recommit to taking care of yourself-Recommit to standing up for healthy body image and taking care  of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Join the Discussion
Tweet @BEDAOrg using the hashtag #weightstigma!
Check out the weight stigma awareness blog!

What can you do to fight weight stigma?

Going Off The Grid

I live a very connected life. My boyfriend and I counted 10 different systems that connect to the internet in our household. Our household of 2 people and 1 cat and 1 dog. When i'm not face-to-face with a client, or doing a training, my work is almost entirely online; writing, outreach and scheduling. I love twitter, instagram, facebook, blogging, gmail and outlook. But it can be a little much

Challenge to myself: 3 days of no phone, no computer, no ipad. Yes all of Labor Day Weekend

I read. We talked. We went to the Berkshires. I got ice cream without instagraming it. I made meals that didn't have to be recorded. Most importantly, the world did not collapse because I wasn't responding to emails on the weekend or tweeting up a storm. I did have a very realistic dream that i was checking my gmail and had 400 unread messages. (not too far from reality-Tuesday morning=300 unread).  When you start dreaming about tech connectivity that's when it starts to get scary.

Like Jenna Wortham put in her great NYTimes article about turning off her phone:

"My revelation — relearning the beauty of living in the moment, devoid of any digital link — may seem silly to people who are less attached to their devices. But for many people, smartphones and social networks have become lifelines — appendages that they are rarely without. As such, they can sway our moods, decisions and feelings."

You're going to want to read the rest here 

Because FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is a scary reality in our world (as Steph explained here) It's time that all took some time to learn JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out)

I'm going to go back to my  tweeting, blogging, emailing and writing with a reminder that it is OKAY and in fact, NECCESARY to turn it all off every once in awhile.

How connected are you and how do you feel about that?

Good Graffiti

There's always someone out there who will advise how you can be better. But you're the only one who truly knows how to make you happier. Usually, it's not the same thing.

Really enjoy your weekend!

Vision

Do you surround yourself with inspiration? Are reminders of your goals staring you in the face when you wake up, when you head out the door? What would happen if they were that close? What would happen if you were constantly reminded of where you want to go in this life, and how you're going to get there? I wouldn't think of traveling to somewhere unknown without a map (or my gps) in tow. So what if we map out what our dreams look like so that we end up at our destination-not lost forever.

 

 Vision boards can be a great tool for getting back in touch with what our goals are and where we are headed. The act of creating them should be meditative, soothing and almost therapeautic, as you find images and words that resonate you with. Then when you have finalized it (for the time being), you can hang it as a constant reminder of where you are and where you would like to go. And of course because we are fluid, and our goals and dreams are ever changing it's important to create new vision boards to serve those changed desires.

Making a vision board is easy

1. Gather a large piece of construction or any other "heavy" paper
2. Find a bunch of magazines (from a variety of genres. Beauty, travel, food, you name it!
3. In a peaceful place scour the magazines for words and images that resonate with you and cut them out
4. arrange the images and phrases on the paper and use good ol' glue or modpodge to adhere them
5. Hang in a prominant place to be forever reminded of where you are heading

I surround my desk with vision boards of past and present

 

 

Have you ever made a vision board? How has it helped you? Care to share?

Are you comfortable in your own skin?

By: Stephanie Ferrari, MS, RD

“Take your time. Think a lot. Think of everything you’ve got. For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.” 

- Cat Stevens singing one of my favorites

Are you comfortable in your body? Whether you answered “yes” or “hardly,” the reality is that we constantly ebb and flow between the answers to this question. 

It’s nearly impossible to feel 100%, 100% of the time.  So what can you do to build a foundation of comfort in your own skin? Following these tips may help you get there. Think of this as a friendly reminder to treat yourself with the respect you deserve.

1. Stay hydrated. It’s easy to forget to drink enough fluids when you’re on the go. Purchasing a stylish water bottle and filling it up every chance you get is a great way to stick to your hydration goals. 

 I usually fill up a big mason jar with water on the rocks and keep it by my desk. What do you do to stay hydrated?

Looking for hydration with benefits? Chamomile Tea is magic. Feeling anxious? It will calm your nerves. Have a tummy ache? Triple bag your mug and you might notice a difference. Have a big presentation coming up? Replace your morning coffee with a cup of Chamomile and public speaking won’t seem as formidable. Think I’m full of it? Give it a try and then come talk to me. I’d love to know if this works for you, so email me about it! 

 

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2. Choose the right foods. Whether you’re at home or on the road, the best thing you can do for yourself is to stay on your routine eating schedule and choose the right foods to fuel your body. Some of my favorite on-the-go snacks include a piece of handheld fruit with a hard boiled egg, a yogurt parfait with berries and low-fat vanilla yogurt, a fat-free cafe latte, or leftover quinoa with freshly cut veggies. 

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Whether you’re at a restaurant or cooking at home, go for options that fit the MyPlate model like baked salmon, brown rice, and a garden salad. Ask for a glass of fat-free or low-fat milk instead of soda for your beverage. What’s the point? Let me count the ways! Your digestive system, hair, skin, nails, libido, shape, energy levels, and sleeping patterns (to name some) will thank you for treating yourself right. 

This is a picture of one of my most recent favorite dinners: boiled lobster, corn from a local farm, salad, and a Sauvignon blanc called "Lobster Reef"

 

Obviously, I’m not saying to give up the wine or the dessert. You know me better than that by now! Please feel free to treat yourself with a glass of wine and your favorite dessert once in a while. After all, having a little fun is just as important as eating right and working out.

3. Get moving. Sweat at least once every day. Whether that means you’re working out HARD for 10-15 minutes or going on a nice, long, mind-clearing run, it doesn’t matter. Your body will respond positively and you’ll notice the difference. Need a motivation boost? Sign up for a race or pick an event in your near future that you really want to look your best for. These small milestones will help  you stay on track.

 Running a race with your friends is a great way to stay motivated (even when it's freezing cold outside..maybe even especially then!)

4. Relax a little- sheesh! As my sister used to say, “Take a Chill Pill!” Seriously. There is nothing SO important that you can’t take a ten minute break to take a few deep breaths. Studies show that stress plays a major role in health issues. Whenever you’re feeling stressed to the max, pause and take a moment to put things into perspective. Maybe you listen to your favorite song or maybe you just take a short walk. Whatever it may be, life is short and being stressed out is not an action that will lead to productive behavior. Take a second, get over it, and move on!

Want more tips on how to feel your best? Send us your requests at iamguiltless@gmail.com.

And please share some comments below! Comments from YOU make us feel good about ourselves! :)

Fashionable

While clothes may not make the woman, they certainly have a strong effect on her self-confidence - which, I believe, does make the woman.

Mary Kay Ashe

The fashion industry gets a pretty bad rap when it comes to body image and self esteem. It's understandable that the use of very thin models, sample sizes that are unrealistic, and clothes that are designed to only fit a hanger would not be the most confidence boosting machine. But there is a lot to be said for the positive aspects of a dress that fits just right, shoes that make you smile, and that statement necklace that brightens up the room (after your smile of course!) So here's to making Fashion work for you, NOT against you!

•  Make a statement! Whether it's a bold necklace, a bright pair of shoes to contrast a gray outfit, or a graphic tee, let your clothes be an expression of you!

• Disregard Size and Make sure it Fits! If it takes cutting out the tag, so be it. What's most important is that you Look AND Feel comfortable. The rest of the world can tell when you can hardly breathe from your corset
• Shake it up! Don't stick to all black because that's what you're used to. Start by adding 1 neon to your wardrobe
• Buy Lovely Undies- just for yourself. So that you feel comfortable and sexy. all day.
• Accesorize!  Treat yourself to pieces that look good. INdulge!



 

How do YOU stay body positive and fashionable at the same time?

Balance

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.  -BUDDHA

The word "health" holds different meaning for everyone. To me, "health" means harmony with mind, body and spirit. Feeling confident in your body and it's abilities is vital to feeling balanced and in control. Too often to we break ourselves down with negativity and undeserved self-criticism. Instead, it's in our power to take control and take steps toward building our strength, both physically and emotionally, and unconditional faith in ourselves.

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Guiltless Recommends: My Body.. Finally

Through another dietitian I heard about My Body... Finally an amazing video project by Melissa of My Heart Dances

How awesome is that? Her whole blog is intended to help you throw out the rule books and tune out the social messages that say who you “should be,” what you “should feel,” what you "should want," and what you “should do”  and inspire you to know yourself well and engage with life in an authentic way.

Check out the full blog post, follow Melissa on Twitter and Tweet #mybodyfinally

Here's to a guiltless week!

Changin'

"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken."

- Frank Herbert

Wake up!


Happy Guiltless Weekend! 

Change

"Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Changes are as natural as breathing. And while we love to stick with our old routine and where we feel most comfortable, change will come. We just must accept changes gracefully. Approach them head on. Take them in stride. We can't always predict them. We must only smile and continue to grow.



What changes are coming up in your life? What are you anticipating? 

The Journey

One of my clients passed on this poem, and I love love love it!

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One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations—
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice,
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.

—Mary Oliver, “The Journey” (1992, 14)

I'd rather have a bowl of Coco Pops.

I read two great articles recently. The first is by Michelle Konstantinovsky, a student at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. In the article, Michelle talks about the horrors of thinspiration, and I couldn't agree more with some of her points. There is a thin line (no pun intended) between thinspiration and pro-anorexia. So thin in fact that I have yet to be able to find it. It is estimated that 8 million Americans have an eating disorder – seven million women and one million men; One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia nervosa (Source and more stats here.) 

Do we really need to be throwing fuel into such a fatal fire? And by "we" I mean human kind. The only way we can counteract a body hating, media-saturated society is if we just do what we can to balance the conversation. How? Write, talk, listen, and be kind to yourself. Do whatever you can - even if it's a single sentence interjected into a discussion - to encourage people to respect their bodies, treat themselves well, and for the love of the human race, stop telling each other you're ugly. There are bigger things to worry about in this world and life. Enough with the fat talk already, because it's really getting old. Aren't we ready for something new and more exciting and meaningful? Don't we owe that to ourselves? Just a thought.

The second article I want to point out is by Alexa Gellman at LearnVest, and it's about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, her ridiculously inspiring career, pregnancy, motherhood, feminism, and why ladies should stop hating on ladies already. Check it out.

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WTF OMG??

The OMG Diet is making my skin crawl right now. Want to find out why? Read my post on Marci RD Nutrition Counseling ASAP!

Mirror, Mirror

Thank you to Tanya for sharing this Guiltless Mirror!

How will you share beauty today??

Vogue's Tribute to Marilyn

Here are Guiltless, we love Marilyn Monroe. Her style, her grace, and confidence are inspiring, and we love how she has recently become a symbol of beauty at any size (As opposed to today's super model at size 0 or less, Marilyn fluctuated between sizes 6 and 14 which is a lot closer to the size of the average woman alive today).

 

This week marks the 50th anniversary of Monroe's death, and we think Vogue did a nice tribute to her on their website and would like to share it with you. Enjoy!

Read: Marilyn, a style icon - By: Vogue 

And on a similar topic, we think you should read about how Seventeen Magazine "promises to show girls as they really are" because of one brave girls' drive and dedication to express her disapproval of airbrushed images.

Be well and enjoy the day!